Flaming ArtistThis drawing was executed in Photoshop about a year ago. I had already done the sketch when I read a Facebook post by Dale Lazarov touting the erotic allure of older (60+) men. I thought the sketch could be easily adapted to one of my interest: white body hair on dark skinned men; a variation on the “silver fox” archetype.
This drawing is dedicated to Dale Lazarov, who recently posted a prediction that, 10 years hence, Gay men in their 60’s will be valued for their erotic appeal. I reply the question: “You mean it’s not that way now?” And followed up with, “White body hair on dark flesh is especially hot”. I decide to demonstrate my point.
Not much to say here. I started out trying to
fabricate the face and upper body of my “clone of desire”, but found myself
unable to do so. This guy is okay, but I wouldn’t lose any sleep over him. The
dick dangling against his ear is too big, but I needed to get the tip into
position for the guy’s finger and include that man’s knee in the
composition. Compromises had to be made.
Now HERE is Tony Soprano, if
not James Gandolfini. Here I am attempting a specific likeness of a specific
character, not merely drawing one of my “clones of desire” (a concept
articulated by the brilliant philosopher Dale Lazarof, writer of “Sticky” and “Manly”).http://prismcomics.org/profile.php?id=1496
It also puts on display my
continuing struggles with Photoshop. Basically I did a fake pen and ink
drawing. The only benefit I derived from using the program instead of pen and
ink on paper was the endless ability to re-size and re-do. Nothing to sneeze at
for sure (the lack thereof an ongoing frustration with the real thing) but
there’s more to the program than that. Hell, I’ve taken a couple of classes in
the damn thing. I just can’t make myself practice using the program
consistently enough to get adept in it.
This
drawing is not intended as an affront to Gandolfini or his mourning friends and
family. I like to think he would have approved, based on the scene in
“Sopranos” where his seated character displayed a hard-on through his pants
when contemplating his psychiatrist.
This seems to be the same guy as in “Artist & Model” and “Call of Nature”.
You may have noticed that all of my middle aged “clones of desire” (to quote Dale Lazarov) are impossibly well built and well endowed. As a 21 year old, I didn’t know any better. I actually had an physical inferiority complex about myself in my early days. I recall, in my teens, hearing a Frank Zappa album (200 Motels, I think it was), where a man sneeringly comments on another man, “Eight inches or less”. Since I was only 6″, I thought I was small. It wasn’t until I started playing the field in my mid 20’s that I realized I was at least average.
Sorry about the long blogging hiatus. My life is currently hell. My domestic partner of 25 years, John Callahan, has metastasized prostate cancer (to his skeletal system) and has a life expectance of 3-6 months.
This sketch was inspired by Simonhttp://www.brutebysimon.com/ I discovered his work because he is featured in the upcoming Bruno Gmuender anthology, “Big Love”, which I’ve just been sent the galley of.
I really dig his “clone of desire” (to quote Dale Lazarov), a muscle bear cross between Bob Hoskins and Ed Anser.